Vatican: Pope Francis Did Not Intend to Offend Mexico with His Remarks

VATICAN CITY – The Holy See on Tuesday said that the words of Pope Francis regarding the risk of the “Mexicanization” of Argentina had no “stigmatizing intent toward the people of Mexico” and acknowledged the effort being made by Mexico City in the fight against drug trafficking.

“The Holy See feels that the term ‘Mexicanization’ in no way should (be thought to) have a stigmatizing intent toward the people of Mexico and even less so should it be considered a political opinion to the detriment of a nation that is continuing to make a serious effort to eradicate violence and the social causes that give rise to it,” said the Mexican Embassy to the Holy See.

The Mexican Embassy to the Vatican on Tuesday sent a communique to the media after Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi sent a letter with these observations to Mexico’s envoy to the Holy See, Mariano Palacios Alcocer.

In the missive, according to the Mexican Embassy, “the Holy See acknowledged the excellent ... relations with Mexico” and confirmed that Pope Francis “at no time intended to injure the feelings of the Mexican people or the efforts of the country’s government.”

In the press release sent to the media, the Latin American country emphasized that “the Holy See acknowledged that the programs implemented by the Mexican government to preserve social peace and tranquility carry with them confronting the causes that give rise to them.”

The remarks of the Holy See come one day after the pontiff expressed his concern over the advance of drug trafficking in his native Argentina in a private letter directed to Buenos Aires lawmaker Gustavo Vera in which he asked that “the Mexicanization (of Argentina) be avoided.”

The letter was a response to an earlier message sent by Vera in which he had warned the pope about the “ceaseless” growth of drug trafficking in Argentina and reported to him on complaints that he is going to initiate via the La Alameda non-governmental organization, which he heads and which combats human trafficking and slavery.